Animated advertising apparatus



Oct. 20, 1931. H. SEGAL ANIMATED ADVERTISING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1931. 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR /r; z'/y/7{'5 eya Z.

ATTORNEY Oct. 20 1931. I. H. SEGAL ANIMATED ADVERTISING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 d. s w n O w m n mm A r Y Patented Oct. 29, 1931 f ATeNrorFlcE mvnm 1-1. SEGAL, or DETROIT, uronrem' ANIMATED ADVERTISING AIP PABAT'I JS Application filed February 24; 1931. Serial No. 517,787.

My invention relates to improvements in animated advertlsing apparatus and more particularly to animated advertising apparatus for use in outdoor advertising.

\ Many methods are employed in outdoor advertising to display the advertising material and attract attention thereto. One of these consists in the use of animated or moving objects. All of such animation at present employed necessitates the construction of special bill boards and signs of elaborate design which are costly to manufacture and require a large amount of time to erect. Furthermore, each sign must be individually assembled and erected on the location where it is to be operated and the attendant expense of assembly, erection and maintenance is very hi h.

t is an object of my invention toprovide a self contained completely assembled animated advertising unit which is adapted to be readily attached to an ordinary sign or bill board.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a self contained animated advertising unit which may be completely assembled at the place of construction and readily shipped as a unit to the location of the sign or billboard with which it is to be used.

Another object is to provide a self contained and assembled. animated advertising unit which may be readily secured to and removed from the surface of any display or billboard in a simple manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide an animated advertising unit in which the animated objects and operating mechanism are assembled and operated-as one unit and may be attached .to an ordinary display or billboard without altering or defacing the billboard in any manner.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a unitary animated advertising apparatus wherein the animated objects and op- 15 crating mechanism are assembled as a whole and the opearting mechanism is enclosed in a weather proof housing forming a part of the unit.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a self contained and assembled animated advertising unit of simple design, economlcal to manufacture, requiring a.;minimum amount of maintenance and allowing ready accessibility to the operating parts.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent throughout the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

' Figure 1 is an elevational view of a billboard embodying the animated unit of my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side' view of the operating mechanism of the ani-- mated unit of my invention shown with the housing broken away to illustrate certain details more clearly.

Figure 3 is an'enlarged cross sectional view of the operating mechanism of my invention taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; W

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram of the electrical hook-up of the animated unit of my invention.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the animated unit of my invention shown mounted on a billboard and partially broken away to illustrate details more clearly.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the unit taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and illustrating the operating mechanism, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view of the unit taken on the line 77 of Figure 6, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designatev like parts throughout the several views, in Figure 1 is illustrated a bill board 10 of any well known design shown with the animated unit 11 of -my invention attached thereto. This unit may assume any form or simulate any cont-rivance or device which is desired to be animated, the one shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,'for the purpose of illustrating the principles of my invention, simulating a barrel on which a board is pivoted havin figures mounted on each end thereof to roc drive shaft, and a pulley 17 is fixed on the end of this shaft. A worm wheel housing 18 is suitably mounted on the base 17 and supports a rotatable worm wheel 19, which has a shaft 20, the ends of which are journaled in the housing 18. A rotatable worm gear 21 formed on a shaft 22 engages the worm wheel 19 and the ends of the shaft 22 are journaled in the upper part of the worm Wheel housing 18. A pulley 23 is fixed on one end of the 9 shaft 22 and is in alignment with the pulley 17 and operatively connected therewith by a pulley belt 24 whereby the worm wheel is riven by the electric motor '15 through the belt driven pulley and worm gear. A crank 35 25 is secured to one end of the worm wheel shaft and rotates therewith. The lower end of the link 26 is pivotally connected to the crank and the other end extends upwardly through an opening 27 formed in the upper end of the barrel housing 12 and is pivotally connected to a rocker arm 28. The arm 28 is keyed or suitably fixed to a shaft 29 which is rotatably retained in a bracket 30 secured to the upper part of the barrel housing 12.

An elongated arm 31 is centrally fixed or secured to the shaft 29 and rotates therewith. In the illustration shown in Figure 1, the arm simulates a plank or board and figures 32 are secured to each end of the arm 31 to move upwardly and downwardly as the arm is rotated. The legs 33 of these figures may be pivotally mounted, if desired,.to hang downwardly at all times and provide further animation. Various changes in the objects, de-

signs or movements to be animated may be made, the one herein described being merely for the purpose of illustrating the application of mv invention.

In the operation of this form of my invention theelectric motor 15 rotates the worm wheel 19 by means of its connection therewit-l1 through the pulleys 17, 23, pulley belt 24, and worm gear 21. The crank 25 secured to the shaft of the worm wheel 19 rotates wi the worm wheel and reciprocates the link 26 which passes through the opening 27 in the upper part of the housing 12 upwardly and downwardly. The rocker arm 28 is rotated by the reciprocating movement of the link 26 as is theshaft 29 to which it is fixed. The

elongated arm 31 which is also fixed to the shaft 29, will therefore be caused to rotate raising and lowering the figures 32, simulating in a life-like manner the reciprocation of a plank over the top of a barrel.

'ient source of electrical current.

. ing bars 50. ,The

- The rear of the housing 12 is provided with suitable brackets 35 which are secured to the housing by riveting, weldin or in any other suitable manner and are a apted to receive lag-screws 36 or other suitable fastening devices whereby the unit may be secured to the surface of the billboard 10 or any other flat walled display surface. It will be no.ed that except for the three fastening devices 36 no other prearrangement or alterations need be made, in any ordinary billboard such as are commonly used, to attach the animated self contained unit of my invention but that the same may be readily attached to or removed from any billboard, sign, or flat wall display surface upon which suitable lettering or descriptive advertising legends are generally applied.

The weatherproof housing 12 is provided with vents 37 for ventilating purposes and the rotating fan 16 will circulate the air within the housing to insure the proper atmospheric conditions about the operating mechanism, eliminating moisture, preserving the parts and greatly reducing maintenance. A hinged door 38 allows access to the operating mechanism when any adjustment is required and the entire operating unit is mounted on the base 13 and may be removed from the housing 12 through the door 38.

An electric cord 39 is connected with the motor and may be plugged into any conven- As illustrated in the wiring diagram of Figure 4 the device may be hooked up with a suitable switch 40 which will operate the motor and turn on electric lamps 41 which may be connected with the circuit when desired for illuminatin purposes. L

In another form of my invention such as is illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7 a modified form of the self contained animated advertising unit of my invention is illustrated. In this form, the operating mechanism is enclosed in a weatherproof housing 45 which in the particular design illustrated has side pillars 36 formed thereon supporting a canopy 47 under which the illuminatIng lights 41 may be strung. The entire unit is supported on a pair of brackets 48 WhlCh are secured to the billboard 10 by lag-screws 49 or by any other suitable fastening devices. The housmg 45 is securely attached to the brackets 48.

In this form of my invention the operating mechanism is generally described form but the parts are arranged in a slightly different manner to accomplish the particular animation desired which, in this instance is the rotation of a plurality of objects mounted on display pedestals as illustrated in Figure 5. This is accomplished by mounting the electric motor 15 on the supportmg base 13 as in the first form of my invention which base is secured to supportfan 16 is mounted on the the same as the first motor shaft as is the pulley 17 and a worm wheel housing 51 of shghtlydifferent design illustrated form shown in Figures 2 and 3. The pulleys 17 and 23 are operatively connected by the pulley belt 17 and thus the motor 17 rotates the worm wheel 19 in the same manner as in the first form of my invention.

In this form, however, the vertically disposed worm wheel shaft 20 extends upwardly through openings 52 and 53 in the top of the housing and rotates through suitable bearings 54 and may be supported therein by an adjustable collar 55 if so desired. A display pedestal 56 is secured to the top of the 25 shaft 20 and rotates therewith. An object 57 which is to be displayed is suitably mounted on the pedestal 56 and will rotate with the shaft 20.

A pulley 59 is fixed on the shaft 20 within the housing 45, to rotate therewith. A pair of side dis lay pedestals 60'are fixed to the top of shaliis 61 which are rotatably mounted in some suitable manner in the top of the housing 45 and pulleys 62 are fastened at the lower ends of the shafts 61 within the housing 45, Another display pedestal 63 which is centrally disposed in relation to the other edestals but lower than the pedestal 56, is fixed to the top of a shaft 64 which is rotatably mounted in the top of the housing 55 in any suitable manner and depends downwardly into the housing. A three groove pulley 65 is fixed at the lower end of the shaft 64. A pulley belt 66 operatively connects the pulley 59 on the worm wheel shaft 20 with the top groove of the three groove pulley 65 and a pair of pulley belts 67 operatively connect the side pulleys 61 with the pulley 65 engaging'the two lower grooves of this pulley. It will thus be seen that as the shaft 20 rotates the pulley 65 and its display pedestal 63 will be rotated by the belt 56 simultaneously with the rotation of the display pedestal 56 as will the side display pedestals 60 55 which will be driven by the pulley belts 67. Any objects placed upon the four display pedestals will therefore be continuously ro- All tated during the operation of the electric motor 15.

Vents 68 formed in the back of'the housing 45 and in the bottom thereof provide for ventilation and the rotating fan 16 circulates the air within the housing to maintain the proper atmospheric condition for the operation 'of the motor and associated parts and prevent lustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and the pulley 23 is secured at one end thereof as in the first employment of this principle of my invendampness'and moisture, and other causes. A glass front 69 may be provided, if desired, to protect the rotating objects from the weather. A hinged door 70 is provided at one end of the housin 45 to allow access to the operating mechanlsm" which may be removed as a unit since the entire mechanism is mounted upon the supporting base 50.

The forms of my invention which have been illustrated are only two of man forms which the invention may assume. hanges and modifications are contemplated which will be necessar to stimulate different moving objects, an provide different forms of animation. One of the im ortant features of my invention herein disc osed is the provision'of a self-contained animated advertising unit in which'the objects of animation and the necessary operating mechanism are, all assembled and joined as a whole in a manner whereby it may be attached to any common billboard without altering or defacing the sign in any manner except the attachment of the fastening screws or devices. The

tion makes possible the, complete assembly of the apparatus at the place of manufacture from where they may be distributed to any place as a unit to be attached to the billboard without further construction, assembly or adjustment. The entire apparatus is of an accessory nature and may be applied to any type of advertising where animation is desired, requiring but the simple operation of attaching the fastening devices and plugging the electric cord into a convenient source of electrical current, The unit may also be readily detached and changed from one billboard to another in a different location without alteration or. employment of other than ordinary tools and unskilled labor,

The weatherproof ventilated, and self-contained operating mechanism and lighting arrangement requires very little maintenance or adjustment. a

All of the features of my invention result in great economy in application of animation to advertising signs and boards and in k the manufacture, distribution and use there- What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1., The combination of an outdoor flat walled sign board, a portable animated ad verti sing unit, and means to detachably secure said unit to the front face of said sign board..

2. The combination of a sign board, a portable animated advertising unit' associated therewith comprising a weatherproof housing, operating mechanism therein operatively connected with the matter to be animated, objects to be animated carried by said housing and associated with said mechanism, and

means to secure said portable unit to said sign board.

3. The combination of an outdoor sign board, a ortable animated advertising unit associated therewith comprising a weatherproof housing, ventilation an electrical operating mec anism therein, movable objects to be animated supported on said housing and driven by the electric operating mechanism, and fastening means for securing said portable unit to the sign board.

4."The combination of an outdoor sign board, a portable animated advertising unit associated therewith comprising a weather-' proof housing, ventilation oenings therein, an electrical operating mec anism therein, movable objects to be animated supported on a said housing and driven by the electric operating mechanism, the fan in said housing for circulatin the air therein, electric lights carried by said housing and connected with the electric operating circuit, and means to attach said portable unit to the sign board.

5; The combination of a portable self contained mechanically driven animated advertising unit, a bill board, and means to detachably secure said unit to the front face of the bill board without materially altering said board.

6. In combination with a bill board, mechanically driven objects of animation form ing a self contained unit and means to position said unit in front of said bill board with the objects of animation spaced therefrom and to detachably secure said unit to the face of the bill board.

IRVING H. SEGAL.

ings therein, 

